Brig. Gen. Scott West fields questions from the media before boarding a C-17 Globemaster III March 12, 2011, at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. The aircraft was being prepared to depart on a humanitarian mission to Japan. The plane will visit various Air Force bases in Japan during its mission to provide support for Japan relief efforts in the wake of tsunami and earthquake damage there. General West is the 13th Air Force vice commander. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Nathan Allen)